1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process of machining the top surface of a rail by a circumferential grinding by means of at least one abrasive product, which is moved along the rail and be urged against the top surface of the rail and rotates about an axis of rotation which includes an acute angle with the longitudinal direction of the rail. The invention relates also to an apparatus for carrying out the process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From DE 21 18 209 C3 it is known that the top surfaces of rails for railborn vehicles can be machined by means of a plurality of grinding wheels, which are mounted in a grinding frame one behind the other in such a manner that their horizontal axes of rotation extend at an acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the rail. Said grinding wheels are driven by respective motors and by means of pressure-applying cylinders are forced against the top surfaces which are to be machined so that the top surfaces of the rail are ground by a circumferential grinding as the grinding frame is moved along the rails. Like all known rail-grinding processes that circumferential grinding by means of inclined grinding wheels has the disadvantage that the grinding conditions permit the grinding frame to be advanced along the rails only at a relatively low speed. Besides, the pressure under which the grinding wheels are forced against the rails must be controlled in dependence on the feed rate if material is to be removed at a uniform rate although the feed rates vary.